Suction and air blast attachment for clippers



Aug, 1929. w. VON SANDT 1,723,328

sucnon ma AIR BLAST ATTACHMENT FOR CLIPPEHS Filed June 15,. 192'? 2 Sheets-Sheet l g fl929- w. VON SANDT SUCTION AND AIR BLAST ATTACHMENT FOR CLIPPERS Filed June 15, 192'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 3144mm f 01;

Patented Aug 6, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM VON SANDT, OF QUANTICO, VIRGINIA.

SUCTION AND AIR BLAST ATTACHMENT FOR CLIPPERS.

Application filed June 15,

suction cut hair for depositing it into a bag or receptacle, or for creating a blast in order to blow cut hair away from the clippers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device as above indicated which may be conveniently attached to clippers now on the market, said device having a nozzle arranged above the cutting fingers of the clippers and positioned so that hair may be drawn in around the cutting fingers or blown out around said cutting fingers.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means arranged on the clippers which may be easily and conveniently operated for changing from a blast of air to a suction, and vice'versa, the hair drawn in by suction being delivered intoa bag or receptacle where it will be confined until it is desired to dispose of same.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of the above indicated character, which is simple and substantial in construction, which can be manufactured eco, nomically, and which will be thoroughly eflicient and practical in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved device, a portion of the hose connection bein broken away,

Figure 2 is a plan view of clippers showing the manner of attaching my improved device thereto,

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fi ure 2,

igure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a vertical section through the suction or air blast creating structure and receptacle, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 66 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 1927. Serial No. 199,045.

designates a pair of hair clippers having a stationary handle 11 and a movable handle 12 which is adapted to reciprocate a movable blade 13 on a stationary blade 1 1, each of said blades having cutting fingers 15, the structure for reciprocating the movable blade 13 upon movement of the movable handle 11 consisting of a pivoted member 16 having a depending lug 17 which engages into a slot 18 in the movable cutt'er blade. Extending upwardly from the member 16 is a threaded shank 19, provided with a wing nut 20 on its upper end.

In carrying out my invention the numeral 21 designates a casing which is adapted to be attached to the clippers by means of the shank 19 and wing nut 20, the casing acting the same as the usual closure casing which governs the tension of the movable cutter blade 13 with respect to the stationary cutter blade 14, and is constructed to also perform the same function, being provided with a down-turned portion 22 which engages the movable cutter blade 13. The casing 21 is of hollow construct-ion so as to provide a flared nozzle 22, which extends over and opens above the cutting fingers 15 on the movable blade and stationary blades. Communicating with the opening through the casing at the rear thereof is a nipple 24, which has attached thereto a flexible tubing or hose 25, and extending through the casing verticallyis a collar 26, through which extends the shank 19, this collar being of a size so that it will not interfere with communication between the nipple 24: and the nozzle opening 23. It can be seen that by tightening or loosening the wing nut 20 the tension be tween the movable blade 13 and stationary blade 14 may be varied, due to the fact that the casing 21 engages the casing of the clippers at the point indicated by the numeral 27.

The opposite end of the flexible hose or tubing 25 is attached to a nipple 28 of a housing 29 through a bearing 30 at the rear end of which extends a shaft 31 carrying a fan 32 arranged within the housing 29. The

shaft 31 extends from an electric motor 33 bag or receptacle 36 for receiving cut hair drawn in the nozzle 24 by means of the fan 32 and discharged into said bag through the hose 25 and housing. The bag 36 may be of the construction used in the ordinary vacuum cleaners in order to prevent the return of air from the bag when the same is forced therein under considerable pressure.

The housing 29 has a cone-shaped front wall 37, which communicates at its small or forward end with the nipple 28 by means of a passageway 38 and arranged for communication with the passageway there is an opening 39 opening into the atmosphere. Pivoted at the point of connnunication between the branch opening 39 and passageway 38 is a flap valve 40, for permitting communication between the nipple 28 and passageway '38 or between said branch opening 39 and passageway 38. lVhen communication is permitted through the nipple 28 to the passageway 38 the branch opening 39- is closed, and when communication is between the opening 39 and passageway 38, communication between the nipple 28 and passageway 38'is closed.

Extending from the passageway 38 at a point beyond where the valve 40 closes said passageway to the nipple 35 to which the bag 36 is attached there is a pipe 41, 'throu 'h which air is adapted to be forced from the housing 29 into hose connection 25 when the valve 40 closes communication betweenthe nipple and passageway 38. At the point where the pipe 41 connects with the nipple 35 there is pivoted another flap valve 42 adapted to either close communication between the housing 29 and bag 36 or betweensaid pipe 41 and the nipple 35. The flap valves 40 and 42 have levers 43 and 44 respectively attached thereto and are arranged exteriorly of the housing 29 and are connected together by means of a link connection 45. By connecting the flap valves in this manner, it can be seen thatwhen one of the valves is operated, the other will be operated so that air may be sucked, into the housing29 from the flexible hose 25 and blown into the bag 36, or air may -be drawn in through the opening 39 into the housing 29 and blown out through the passageway 41 through the hose 25. Thus, it can be seen that'either a suction or air blast may be created at the nozzle opening 23. k

A spring 46 is attached to the lever 44 and to the pipe 41, as at 47 so as to normally hold the flap valves 40-and 42 in position so that a suction is created at the nozzle opening and the air blown into the bag 36, and in order to swing the flap valves to their opposite positions, a flexible shaft 48 is attached to-the lever 43 and has its opposite end slidably arranged on the stationary handle 11 of the clippers. On the end of the flexible shaft 48 is a button or knob 49 which is adapted to be engaged by a finger of the operator in order to move the flexible rod for swin ing the flap valves to other positions. The exible shaft 48 is arranged in a tubing 50, which extends under the flexible tubing or hose 25 and is secured thereto by means of clips 51 or any other suitable attaching means.

In operation, the movable handle 12 of the clippers is moved so as to cause reciprocating movement of the movable blade 13 so that hair will be cut by the fingers 15 of the cutting blades. The hair cut by the fingers will be drawn into the flared nozzle 23 of the casing 21 in an efficient manner, as the mouth of the nozzle is arranged above the movable cutter blade 13. After the hair has been drawn into the hollow portion of the casing 21 it passes through the hose due to suction created by rotary movement of the fan 32 and on into the housing 29 and from there forced into the bag or receptacle 36. Should it be desired to create a blast of air for blowing hair, the finger engaging knob 49 is forced inwardly so as to cause sliding movement of the flexible shaft 48. Such sliding movement will cause swinging of the levers 43 and 44 so that the flap valves 40 and 42 are swung to their opposite positions, and as the fan rotates in the housing 29, air from the atmosphere will be drawn by way of a branch opening 39-into. the housing and as the flap valve 42 has closed communication from the housing 29 to the bag or receptacle 36, the air will be forced into the pipe 41 and outwardly through the hose or tubular member 25 from which it escapes through the mouth of the nozzle in the form of an air blast.

While I have shown my improved suction and air blast creating device arranged upon a pair of hand operated hair clippers, it is to be understood that the same may be efficiently used in connection with power driven clippers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A device of the character described for use with a pair of hair clippers comprising a hollow casing opening to the atmosphere, a tubular member in communication with the interior of said hollow casing, a housing with hose connection to said tubular member, a fan rotatably mounted in said housing, a ba attached to the housing for receiving hair drawn through the casing, hose and housing by suction of the fan, the housing having a branch opening communicating with the atmosphere, a valve in the housing controlling said branch opening, a pipe extending from the lower portion of the housing to the upper portion thereof in advance of the aforesaid branch opening, and a valve in said ipe; together with means for operating said valves.

2. A device of the character described for use with a pair of hair clippers comprising a hollow casing having an opening to the atmosphere, a tubular member in communication with the interior of said hollow casin a housing in communication with said tubu ar member, a fan rotatably mounted in said housing, a bag attached to said housing for receiving hair drawn through said casing by suction of said fan, said housing. having a branch opening therein communicating with the atmosphere, and a pipe leading from the ofwhich the hose is connected, a branch opening to the atmosphere leading from said extension near the inner end thereof, a bag at tached to the lower end of the housing for receiving hair drawn through the casing,

' hose, and housing, and a by-pa ss in communication with the outer end of the tubular extension and with the housing adjacent the point where the bag is attached together'with a valve to close the branch opening to'the atmosphere, and a valve to close the by-pfass to the lower end of the housing and means for operating the valves, whereb air may be drawn into the bag by way 0 a the hose and housing to cause suction at the nozzle or drawn into the,housing-and discharged by way of the hose and nozzle to cause a blast at said nozzle.

4. A device of the character described for use with a pair of hair clippers, comprising a I hollow casing having a nozzle, a housing and hose connection .with the casin ,-a tubular extension on said housing to t e outer end of which the hose is connected, a bag attached to the lower end of the housing for receiving hair drawn through the casing by suction created in the housing, means for creating suction in the housing, and a by-pass in communication with the outer end of the tubular extension and with the housing adjacent the point where the'bag is attached, said tubular extension having a branch opening to the atmosphere between the point where said by-pass communicates therewith and the housing; together with a valve adapted to close the branch opening to the atmosphere in one osition and the passageway through the tubu ar extension of the housing in the other position, a b -pass from the lower end of the ousing to t e outer end of the tubular ex-- tension at the upper end thereof, a valve for closing communication between the housing and bag and between the housing and by-pass in opposite positions of said valve, whereby when said valves are operated to close the branch-pipe and by-pass suction will be are ated through the hose from the aforesaid nozzle, springs means for normally holding said valves in this position'so thata suction is created throu h the hose, and means for operating the va ves to open the branch opening to the housing and also open the by-pass to cause a blast through said hose.

5. A device of the character described for use with a pair of hair clippers, comprising a hollow casing having a nozzle, a housing and hose connection with said casing, a fan arranged in said housingl and connected to a motor for operatingt e same, a tubular extension on said housing and to the outer end of which the hose is connected, a bagattached to the. lower end of the housing for receiving hair drawn through the casing and hose by suction in the housing, a by-pass connected to the outer end' of the tubular extension and to the housin adjacent the point where the bag is attac ed, said tubu-' lar 'extension' having a branch opening to theatmosphere between the point where said by-pass communicates therewith and the housing, a'pair of valves one arranged for movement to close the opening to the atmosphere in the bypass and for closing communication through the tubular extension,

while the other is arranged for closing com munication fromthe by-pass to the housing and between the housing and bag, means for swinging, said valves to op osite ositions to cause air to be drawn in t ug the opening in the tubular extension by the fan in one p0siti0n and blown out through the bypass, tubular extension and hose in the other position, said valves bein connected together sov as to'be operate simultaneously, spring means for normally holding sa1d valves in a position so that a suction is created towards the housin and means on a handle of theclippers an connected to said valves for operatingthe latter against tension 6f the spring means to direct a blast of airfrom the housin b way of the hose.

' WILL A .VON SANDT. 

